The fun begins

Good morning from Muskegon Michigan. On the shores of Lake Michigan, this is the starting point of the water part of my travel to Oshkosh.

Muskegon has a population of about 40,000 and shows some of the economic impact visible all across Michigan. Empty storefronts, for sale signs everywhere. The hotel is beside a huge shopping mall that looked surprisingly empty yesterday afternoon when I arrived.

Yesterday I had a lovely 6 hour drive from Brampton to Muskegon. The new Wrangler performed like a champ and actually got surprisingly good gas mileage. The sun shone all day and I made very good time. I can know say I’ve seen Flint Michigan. Michael Moore didn’t lie.

In 3 1/2 hours the fast ferry leaves Muskegon and docks in Milwaukee just before noon. Then it’s another 100 miles to Oshkosh. Check in at the hotel and get ready for a week of pure aviation geekery.

I have schedules of things I want to see worked out. Meeting a couple of people during the week and looking forward to just bumping into people I know which is pretty incredible considering there will be 1/2 million people on the grounds over the course of the week.

Thousands of pictures to come. I’m already smiling so much it’s beginning to hurt.